The Complex World of NIH

Monday (8/6) marked yet another NIH deadline. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is one of the most complex organizations in the federal government. Each year, NIH receives over 80,000 applications--80,000! That number is up from less than half of that just five years ago.

Until recently, those applications would pour in from FedEx, UPS and the USPS. I have heard NIH officials tell stories of stacks of mail crates full of proposals two stories high in their mail warehouse. But now, everything is electronic (or almost everything).

NIH led the way in the conversion to electronic submission and still has one of the most sophisticated, or complex, submission system in the federal government (Department of Defense has a slight advantage over NIH). While a few grant or contract programs are still making the transition to electronic submission (required by all federal agencies by 2008), the vast majority use the electronic submission system.

On submission days, within 30 minutes of the deadline, NIH estimates it receives an average of 3,000 proposal. Amazingly enough, 80 percent of NIH applicants for any one deadline wait until the last 30 minutes to submit. Rest assured, if you submit during these last 30 minutes--you will have technical difficulties. Plan on it, because I can almost guarantee it.

I heard the head of the Scientific Review Committee (the body that receives and reviews all NIH, CDC and FDA proposals) tell a story of when they were designing their system, they looked for best practices on other sites that pushed and pulled large amounts of information. Amazon was one of their favorites. But when they met with Amazon and told them the volume of information they were designing their system for, even Amazon was speechless.

Beyond volume, NIH is also unique because it has linked two systems together: the federally mandated and operated grants.gov and its own site, eRA Commons. Anyone who receives NIH funding must also have an eRA Commons username. Applications and activities are all linked to an individuals eRA Commons account. It is the virtual post office, and sometimes trading post, of the NIH world.

While incredibly sophisticated, both NIH's submission process and the eRA Commons site are not necessarily the most user-friendly systems. Despite the fact that they think they are being perfectly clear, most people struggle through the language and requirements the first go-around.

However, NIH, grants.gov and eRA Commons have all restored my faith and hope in government call centers (of course, most are run on contract--but in this country). When you call, these people will actually help you! So, have no fear--despite the complex world of NIH, it can be navigated and conquered by all--even the newest of investigators.